Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore Tamil Nadu is a recognised institute / college. Kongunadu Arts and Science College is situated in Coimbatore of Tamil Nadu state (Province) in India. This data has been provided by www.punjabcolleges.com. Fax # of Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore Tamil Nadu is 0422 2644452.

The Kongunadu Arts and Science College has maintained a distinctive identity from its inception and has always remained as a College with a difference . The College is a standing example of cooperative endeavour because it came into existence on account of the support and determination of 16000 farmers of the local peasant community. The College emblem captures the ethos of the Founders of the College and embodies the principle of WISDOM decorated by CULTURE and sustained by WORK.

NAAC report of Kongunadu Arts and Science College

Section 1: Preface
Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore is a college affiliated to Bharathiar University. The University Grants Commission has recognized the college under section 2(f) and 12 (B) of UGC Act. The college has subjected itself for Assessment and Accreditation by National Assessment and Accreditation Council.

The Peer Team visited the college on 20th, 21st and 22nd August 2001 and looked into the infrastructural facilities to assess the institution for accreditation. The Peer Team also interacted with the different constituents of the college community and perused the documents to validate the Self-study report.

Kongunadu Arts and Science College was inaugurated on 12.8.1973 and the College Council was registered under Tamil Nadu Societies Act. The College started with the seed money contributed by nearly 16,000 farmers of the local agricultural community who gave their entire dividend money of 2 years through Thudiyalur Co-operative Agricultural Services Ltd. This is a unique example of cooperative endeavour. Presently, 13 departments are imparting graduation programme in Arts, Science and Commerce faculties and there are 7 Postgraduate, 9 M.Phil, 8 Ph.D and 2 Certificate courses.

Founded by the farming community in a semi-urban setup, the college has taken upon itself the task of (a) providing access to higher education to the students of the rural community who do not have the benefit of their urban/city counterparts; (b) providing access to higher education and empowering the largely unlettered women of Kongu region who were deprived off the benefits of higher education inspite of being a primary

bread earners of the rural community and (c) using higher education as a tool to transfer skills and need-based solutions by adopting the Lab-to-the Land approach in all its courses, activities and research. The emphasis given to admitting more girl students continues even to this day. Accordingly the Boy-Girl student ratio continues to be in favour of girls. Of the total 2084 students, 1134 are girls and 950 are boys.

The vision of the college is (a) to inculcate need-based academic and intellectual skills; (b) to protect and nurture the life sustaining rich composite culture and tradition of the region; (c) to help the students to discover and tap their fullest potential to become properly integrated personalities and responsible and productive citizens and (d) to consciously gear all its academic activities to sustainable environmental practices encompassing land and water and its flora and fauna. The ideal of man-making education enshrined in the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda is the guiding spirit of the college.

It is this missionary zeal to work for the benefit of the local agrarian community that led the college to introduce vocational elements in the basic sciences so that the agricultural community really benefits from the activities of the college in different ways.

Wisdom, Culture and Work form the motto of the institution. Keeping these in mind, the college has undertaken itself the job of inculcating the spirit of national integration and religious tolerance by observing various national events. On applicable aspect, the college has focused on research activities covering the Kauveri River basin and the Western ghats.

Section 2: Criterion-wise Analysis
Criterion I: Curricular Aspects
The College offers 13 Undergraduate programmes (English Literature, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Biochemistry and Computer Science in Aided sector and has introduced Biotechnology, Business Management, Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor in Computer Applications in Self Financing sector). B.Com (CA) Course is a job-oriented vocational one started during 2001-2002. The College offers Sanskrit, Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi and French as Part I languages. It offers 7 Postgraduate programmes and Research programmes in the faculties of Mathematics, Physics, Botany, Zoology in Aided sector and in Chemistry, Biochemistry and Computer Applications in Self financing sector. Apart from this, the college offers part time M.Phil and Ph.D programmes in the departments of English and Tamil (Aided) and in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biochemistry in Self Financing sector. There is a Self Financing M.Phil programme in Computer Science. Additionally Certificate courses (Unaided Enrichment programmes) are offered in Computer Applications and Communicative English.

The College offers University prescribed curricula and therefore has constraints in reflecting its mission and goal. There is no much freedom to the college to diversify the courses due to affiliating system. However, the college supplements the University curricula by offering Foundation courses to all Ist year UG students by including topics on Gandhian thoughts, relevance of Yoga and Freedom struggle.

The college has also introduced the concept of work experience into curricular transmission by providing opportunity to the students to Earn while Learn programme. The College by undertaking Applied Research to address the needs of local community is trying to make use of the contents of the curriculum through the Lab to the Land concept. The banana protocols developed by the Biotechnology department, the research programmes undertaken by the Zoology department in the Kaveri basin area and the Western ghats are the pointers of this approach. By introducing Sericulture, Environmental Science, Entomology, Pest Management and Seed Multiplication with Botany and Zoology, Electronics with Physics, Polymer Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry with the Chemistry, Clinical Lab Techniques with the Biochemistry, Tissue Culture with Biotechnology, Financial and Business Accounting with B.Com, the college is trying to make the courses relevant. It has an institutional tie-up with Software training companies for conducting advanced level computer courses and make the MCA students employment ready. The college developed linkages with industries such as M/s.Wintech, Vispark Solutions, the Thudiyalur Cooperative Agricultural Services Ltd and the Indian Forest Genetics & Tree Breeding Center, Coimbatore. The course study is also supplemented by industrial visits, relevant projects and group discussions. The curriculum provides an opportunity to the students to develop communication skills, scientific temper and social awareness.

It is desirable to introduce many short duration Certificate, Diploma and One year programmes such as (a) Biostatistics, (b) Functional English and (c) Performing Arts to promote vocational skills among the rural and girl students. This will be easier if the institution becomes autonomous. The student feedback and parents feedback on the existing courses need to be obtained periodically through surveys and interviews.

Criterion II: Teaching, Learning and Evaluation
The students are admitted to various courses as per the admission norms of the State Government and the Regulations of the University and the students for MCA are admitted through special entrance tests. The department of Biotechnology admitted NRI students also. All the students are interviewed for a counseling before admission. Weekly tests and tutorials are conducted to strengthen the academic skills of the students. Special coaching classes for slow learners are also conducted but need to be strengthened further. To help the advanced learners, the college has opened a coaching center for competitive examinations, to prepare them to qualify in the UPSC/ Group-I Services/TNPSC/CSIR-UGC/NET/SLET. The more accomplished students are sent for summer training programmes in institutions like IISc, and JNCASR, Bangalore, Kalpakkam Atomic Power Project, Chennai and CCMB-Hyderabad. At the beginning of every semester, each department makes a teaching plan and it is reviewed from time to time. The syllabus in units form is implemented and monitored through monthly departmental reviews. The college has successfully ensured the protection of the stipulated number of teaching-learning days. The teachers are recruited in the Aided sector as per the norms of the Government and in Unaided sector, merit is given due consideration. The college also conducts seminars/conferences/symposia/ workshop for faculty development. The college actively supports the continued professional development of its faculty so that its spills over in a tangible form during teaching-learning process. The fact that out of 145 teachers, 64 are doctorates and 51 possess M.Phil degrees and only 23 are PG degree holders is a good indicator of academic credentials of faculty. Most of them have shown keen interest to improve academically through research activity, participation in Seminars, Conferences and Workshops at the National and International level.

The quality checks instituted by the college is in the forms of (a) student assessment of classroom teaching; (b) teacherwise, subject-wise analysis of University results; (c) periodic staff meetings; and (d) review of departmental working. Self appraisal reports are evaluated by the Principal and the Secretary. This mechanism needs further strengthening. The classroom methods are supplemented by other educational techniques like field trips, spot studies, industrial visits and institutionally assigned project work to promote thinking and judging skills. Tutorial system and coaching classes help the educationally disadvantaged students. The performance of the students is reviewed during the parents meetings. But there is greater scope for interactive sessions, project presentations and greater use of multi-media to supplement the chalk-talk method of teaching.

The achievement of Zoology department needs special mention for their focus in research though since 1995 the vigor with which the department has been functioning seems to have slowed down. The departments of Mathematics, Computer Science and Biotechnology are active departments. To mention a few, the Biochemistry department conducted the workshop on medicinal plants, Biotechnology on tissue culture, Zoology on Chromatographic techniques and Recent Advances on the Human Healthcare and Computer Science conducted a symposium on E-commerce. A few teachers have developed strong linkages for the promotion of research with the BSI, Department of Non-conventional Energy Sources, Ministry of Environment and Forest, CSIR, Tamilnadu Forest Department, FRLHT, Bangalore and BeltsVille Agriculture Research Centre, USA. A few members of the faculty have also developed the linkages with international institutes in Japan, Korea, Australlia and Mexico. The Department of Business Management brings out a newletter and has also organized a productwise exhibition ADINITIO-2001 . It has also shown consistent good academic performance at the University level. The department of Biochemistry also conducted an exhibition called BIONNIUM-2000 . In the last 2 years, 74 teachers were beneficiaries of Refresher courses. Many members of the faculty serve in Boards of Studies of the affiliating University and autonomous colleges. Inspite of such strong faculty, it is important to note that no member of the faculty had received any teaching award so far. It is also learnt from the interaction with the parents that the college maintains regular contacts with them regarding the academic progress of their wards.

It is desirable to systematically collect the student feedback about the teaching performance of all the teachers. Further peer group evaluation will help to sustain academic talent among the teachers. In order to promote multiple intelligence among the rural students, integration of audio-visual aids is highly essential.

Criterion III: Research, Consultancy and Extension
To improve the Research culture, the college has upgraded all its Postgraduate departments to Research departments with a Research Committee actively working to coordinate Research activities. Though the departments of English and Tamil do not offer PG programmes, they offer M.Phil and Ph.D programmes (Part time). Teachers are allowed to improve their qualifications through FIP. The college assists teachers to secure seed money for the projects from the concerned funding agencies. 41% of the teachers are engaged in active research work and are guiding M.Phil & Ph.D scholars. The research projects on Hill Tribal Songs, Analysis of personal names of Tribals, Folk culture in Kongu villages by the Tamil department, Projects on Western Ghats and Nilgiris by the teachers of Botany department deserve commendation. The teachers of Tamil and Mathematics have shown keen interest to publish some books useful to the students. Many teachers have shown enthusiasm to publish research papers in reputed journals. The departments of Botany, Zoology, English and Tamil have so far produced 154 M.Phils and 17 Ph.Ds. A member of the faculty of Tamil department was recognized by UGC with a Research award. The postgraduate students also carry out project work as per the partial requirement of the degree. The college provides financial support to the teachers for equipment and chemicals to carry out the research work. During the year 2000-2001, 52 teachers are recognised as guides for M.Phil and Ph.D programmes and at present, 6 Research projects are underway. At present, there are 53 students (full time) in M.Phil/Ph.D programme and 47 have undertaken the programme as part timers. Out of them, 60 are women and 40 are men. The college charges fee for the laboratory to provide the necessary equipments in chemicals to help research projects. The 4 ongoing projects are funded by different agencies to the tune of Rs.15.21 lakhs. 35 teachers have attended national seminars and 4 of them have attended international seminars. The college has started consultancy services in a small way and publishes the core-competence available through the college website. The research work done by the Biochemistry department in raising protocols of Banana and other medicinal plants gives greatest scope for further extension and consultancy.

The college has nominated a teacher to supervise the extension activities of the college. NSS, NCC and Youth Red Cross are used for extension activities. Under these groups, projects like afforestation, awareness on drug abuse, animal husbandry programmes, campus cleaning, public health camps, farmers training programme, Liaison between the Government and the farmers, blood bank programme are undertaken. The college has 4 NSS units and the NSS units are active. The NSS has done commendable work and State Government has rewarded an NSS Officer for outstanding work. The recently started photographic club has done a commendable job by winning several awards. The college can undertake other out-reach programmes through student clubs other than NSS and NCC to propagate Population education, Adult education, National literacy mission, etc.

During the interaction with the parents, it was suggested that the college can start a separate NCC for girls and also an Eco Club.

The management must try to encourage all the teachers to seek funds to Minor and Major Projects from different funding agencies. The consultancy services by the postgraduate departments, has to be expanded. All the students are to be involved in community outreach programmes frequently to develop social and human relation skills among them.

Criterion IV: Infrastructure and Learning Resources
The college is located in a semi-urban area and is housed in 5.47 acres of land. It has a central library, computer center, sports facilities (both indoor and outdoor), the sports grounds to play games like Basket ball, Volley ball, etc., separate hostels for men and women students, canteen, banking facility, general stores and vehicle parking shed.

The library has Book Bank facility and works under an Advisory Committee. The college also has an Internet facility both paying and free. 6 departments are computer connected. The college has appointed external faculty to teach Communicative English and has an arrangement with SSI to conduct Certificate course in Computers. The library has 21672 books, 58 journals, 43 magazines, 560 back volumes and 15 periodicals. The library is kept open on all the working days between 8 am to 8 pm and the Computer center functions between 8 am and 10 pm.

The hostels run by the management for both men and women are kept clean though the women s hostel may require more accommodation. The hostels have a modern kitchen and big dining hall, and presently, 194 boys and 203 girls are staying in the hostels.

Though the college has provided facilities for indoor games and outdoor games for both men and women, the achievement of the college in the area of sports is not encouraging. The students have won a Runners place in State Level Kabadi Tournament. The college also has a gymnasium. A few students have made their mark in athletics and team games at the University level. However, not much noteworthy achievements are made in other sports area. The Undergraduate laboratories are properly equipped. However, there is a need for separation of Research laboratories from the PG labs with provision for enough space and equipment.

Criterion V: Student Support and Progression
The drop out rate of students in UG is 16% and in PG 5%. The college has maintained the pass percentage little higher than the University average but in the departments like Botany and Physics, more attention need to be given to improve the pass percentage. One student has passed UGC NET examination, 2 GATE and 7 GMAT in the last 5 years.

The college updates its prospectus annually by highlighting the profile of the college with the details of courses offered, criteria of eligibility, fee structure and facilities available.

Admissions of students are made as per the provisions of the norms of the Government and regulations of the University. In the preceding year, 780 students were awarded scholarships of different types, mainly offered by the Central and State Governments. It may be advisable to assist the poor and meritorious students in the Self Financing sector by offering scholarships. The singular effort made by the department of English in adopting a poor student to complete his studies leading upto Ph.D programme in Chemistry is commendable.

Though counseling is done, and a senior teacher is appointed as the Director of Students Welfare, it is not professionally managed and formalized. Many old students have occupied prominent positions in Indian Administrative Service, in Science and Technology Laboratories, in teaching and public life. There is an Alumni Association which conducts periodic meetings and recently started a center for coaching the students in competitive examinations. But the Alumni Association may be used to pay more effective and greater role. The hostel is managed by Mess and Hostel Committee.

Criterion VI: Organisation and Management
The College has a duly constituted Governing Board and a College Committee as per the Private Colleges Regulation Act for the internal coordination in monitoring of the academic and administrative aspects of the college. The Governing Board of the college controls the organization and the management of the college and the Director of Finance is incharge of the day-to-day maintenance and proper upkeep of the college apart from financial management. The college has an internal audit mechanism. It has an arrangement with Kovai Medical Centre for taking the health care of the students and the staff. The college has a placement cell in the Computer Science department and very recently started Grievance Redressal Cell. But this Cell need to be further strengthened by formalizing its functions. There is banking facility available inside the college campus and telephone facility is given to the hostel students. There are several scholarships given by the Government agencies. In addition, Bharathiar University and a few donors have contributed to the scholarships. A few philanthropists and the management also award medals for the meritorious students. The college has special committee for preparing the academic calendar.

Proper budgeting is done. There is no professional development programmes conducted for the non-teaching staff. The recruitment of the staff is done as per the Government regulations in the Aided sector and by the management in the Self financing sector. The staff members in Self financing section are given salary scale. There is a full time Dean appointed to look after the Self Finance courses with the special focus to remedial courses, weekly tests and enrichment courses.

It is recommended that more welfare schemes are planned for the staff members. It may be advisable to have more recreational facilities for the staff. Though it is heartening to note that the management always encouraged the teaching staff to acquire better qualifications, it also may be remembered that more number of staff are assisted in participating national and international seminars/workshops. Though the management of the college seems to be functioning in harmonious manner, a better participatory approach of different components of stakeholders could further strengthen the organizational structure.

Criterion VII: Healthy Practices
The college employs various mechanisms like student feedback on classroom teaching, teacherwise analysis of subject performance of the University exams, Self appraisal report of the teaching staff to serve as internal quality checks. The infrastructural requirements are assessed now and then. The college has made use of information technology in administrative system. The college has established national and international linkages to strengthen research areas with agencies like Botanical Survey of India, Department of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, Government of India, Ministry for Environmental Science, Government of India, Forest Department, Government of Tamilnadu, Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health and Traditions, Bangalore, Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISC, Bangalore, ICAR, BeltsVille Agricultural Research Centre, USA.

The college follows Semester system and unit tests are conducted. The college has also obtained funding from external agencies to the tune of Rs.15.01 lakhs on its research programmes. Tutorials are conducted by all the departments. Recently, the college has introduced Self appraisal system of teachers which need to be further systematized. The Self financing courses are used to augment the resources apart from helping the students to have a vocational bias in course content.

The college takes efforts to inculcate moral values and secularism by celebrating the important religious festivals of all religions, trying to promote religious harmony by inter-faith celebrations and conducts programmes on protecting and nurturing India s composite cultural heritage. The college undertakes community development programmes through NSS, NCC and Youth Red Cross by involving students in programmes like Rationcard verification, oil conservation, blood donation camps, pollution controls, tribal development, and service at Marudhamalai temple. The college conducts personality developments by arranging guest lectures, inter-collegiate competitions and group discussions. The Students Association is used as an active constituent of the student development programmes. This college is a pioneer institution to introduce Biological Life Sciences and has an appreciable record of securing the University First rank consequently for over a decade. It is important to observe that the college has encouraged personal enrichment of the teaching staff as majority of the faculty who joined the college with PG degree have subsequently been encouraged to do doctorates in their respective fields. A special mention will have to be made about the cultural experiences imparted to the students. The college music club and the cultural club are successfully turning out of the students a good and vibrant cultural teams. To strengthen this, the college has appointed professional music and dance teachers out of its own funds.

Section 3: Overall Analysis
The institution is successful to a great extent in translating its vision and goals into academic practice even with the constraints it has in an affiliating system. Taking care to inculcate the spirit of national oneness and religious tolerance by observing national and inter-religious festivals is commendable practice. The research oriented faculty, focused management and the serene ambience are the noteworthy features of the institution. The Peer Team after going through the Self-study report and assessing the college in its 3-day visit is fairly impressed by the institution. But it offers the following suggestions for further improvement:

The college could create a working group to encourage and recognize initiatives in teaching environment.

The present informal feedback from the different beneficiaries could be formalized for further improvement and in this direction, a more participatory approach of Governance would be a right step.

The financial management of the institution and the resource mobilization is on sound principles, but involvement of the departments in perspective planning would be a great motivator.

A few more Certificate and job-oriented Diploma courses in consultation with Business, Industry and Service sectors could be offered by making use of the optimal utilization of the available infrastructure.

A well organised placement and Career Guidance cell need to be formed.

Library collections in terms of volumes will have to be improved. Inflibnet connection may also be provided and CAL packages could be improved.

Technology assisted teaching like multi-media facilities may be widely adopted.
A better organized orientation programme for the new entrant students particularly in respect of the disadvantaged groups should be undertaken.

The departments could be encouraged to enlarge their extension programmes and carry out relevant research activities and the laboratories are structured accordingly.

The better cohesive Industry-Institution linkage could be established.

Though greater emphasis is given for moral and value based education, there is scope for further improvement in this direction.

The Grievance Redressal mechanism for faculty, staff and students need to be formalized.
Efforts could be made for greater involvement of Alumni in building the institution.

Physical education requires greater attention.

The college becoming Autonomous may be a step in the right direction and efforts could be made to realize this.

Dr. M. Muniyamma (Chairperson)

Dr. R. Seshadri Naidu (Member)

Prof. K. E. Radhakrishna (Member)

Two teachers allege unfair treatment by college management

COIMBATORE: Teachers at the Kongunadu Arts and Science College near Mettupalayam Road in Goundampalayam are victimised by the college management, claimed C Pichandy, the General Secretary of the Association of University Teachers (AUT).

In a press release, Pichandy said that two teachers of the college revealed to the Affiliation Committee of Bharathiar University that they were being targeted unfairly by the college management.

He said that though the Syndicate of Bharathiar University had passed a resolution on May 23, to protect the interests of the teachers, the college management ignored the directions of the syndicate and continued victimizing the teachers. He urged the state government to initiate action against the college management who were ill-treating the teachers. AUT had held a protest meet on Saturday evening in front of the Red Cross Building in the city.
Summary: Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore Tamil Nadu website, mobile, contact address and approval / recognition details.